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Aug 31, 2022 · You’re in good company. Maybe you’re reassessing your life because you’ve achieved your goals and still feel empty. Maybe your original goal was taken from you–a lost career, a health ...
- Overview
- Signs You Feel That Life Is Pointless
- Why You Might Feel This Way
- Depression and Feelings of Pointlessness
- What Gives Life Meaning?
- Strategies That Can Help
- How to Get Help
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Information in this article might be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
It's normal for everyone to wonder about their purpose. At times, however, you might question existence to the point where you wonder, "What is the point of life?" When such feelings are accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, sadness, and disinterest, it might signify a mental health condition such as depression.
If you're wondering if there is any purpose to life, remember that meaningfulness is different for each person. For some people, the purpose of life may be to make the world a better place. Others may believe that the point of life is to find and achieve personal fulfillment. And some may feel that the point of life is simply to enjoy it as much as possible.
Finding a sense of meaning in life can be difficult for anyone, but it can be particularly challenging when struggling with low mood and feelings of depression. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your life and its purpose, it can be helpful to learn more about why you might feel this way and what you can do to bring a sense of meaning into your life.
There are a number of signs that you might be struggling to see the point in life. Sometimes you might think "what's the point," but in other cases, these feelings can be less obvious:
•You might feel like nothing you do matters
•You may have stopped caring about the outcome of events
•Things that used to bring you joy may ring hollow or seem empty
•You might feel a sense of hopelessness
•You might feel like none of your efforts will help you achieve your goals and aspirations
Everyone experiences times during their life when they feel like they aren't sure about their purpose. They might feel lost. They might not be sure about who they are. Or they might wonder if there is some greater meaning to life that they just can't seem to see.
There are many different reasons why someone might feel like they don't know the point of life.
•You might be going through something stressful or difficult that has you questioning what it all means.
•You might feel unfulfilled in your work, school, relationships, or hobbies and wonder if there's something more that you are missing.
•It might feel like your accomplishments don't really matter or don't have much of an impact.
•You might be feeling uncertain about what you should be doing with your life or what steps you need to take next.
People who have depression frequently experience a sense of pointlessness. For many, everything seems meaningless. After all, they might think, what is the point of life if you are not happy?
According to some research, losing this ability to see the point and purpose in life might actually play a part in the onset of depression. Recognizing this feeling and taking steps to combat it may help boost your mood and help you find greater sense of purpose.
In a 2019 study published in the journal Qualitative Psychology, researchers found that many people living with depression felt that their depressive symptoms were related to changes in life that impacted the things they felt gave their life meaning.
As people lost their sense of purpose, they also began to experience other symptoms such as declining energy levels and physical activity. Despite adverse effects on their physical and psychological experiences, they remained focused on the threats to their goals, values, and purpose.
It seems that experiencing events that affect your sense of meaning is linked to the onset of depression. Whether this plays a role in creating depression is a question that researchers still need to explore in greater depth.
Many other factors are known to play a role in depression, including genetics, experiences, brain chemistry, and lifestyle factors. In many cases, negative life experiences may trigger the onset of depression in people who are predisposed to the condition.
Many different things can give life meaning, and these vary from one person to the next. For some people, their relationships with family and friends are what give them a sense of meaning and purpose.
Others might find meaning in their work, hobbies, or creative passions. And for others, their spirituality or religious beliefs help them find the point in life.
What matters most is what you believe is most important to you. Everyone has different values and beliefs that give their life meaning. There is no wrong answer. What gives someone else a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment might not be helpful for you—and that's fine.
If you're feeling lost or uncertain about what the point of life is, it might be helpful to think about what matters most to you. What are your values and beliefs? What do you enjoy doing? What makes you feel happy and fulfilled?
Finding the point in life can be difficult when you are dealing with depression. It is important to treat yourself with kindness and compassion, even when feeling unmotivated or apathetic.
Even when you are struggling to find interest in anything, you can take steps to help gradually improve your mood and find your sense of purpose. It takes time, support, and often professional interventions in the form of therapy and medication, but over time, you can rediscover your sense of meaning.
Don't be afraid to reach out for help. If you're struggling to find meaning in your life, there are many resources and people who can help. Talk to a trusted friend or family member, a counselor or therapist, or a religious leader. They can offer support and guidance as you search for meaning.
Remember, everyone goes through periods where they question what the point of life is. But there is no right or wrong answer. What matters most is how you choose to live your life and what you believe is most important to you.
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Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
1.Desai MU, Wertz FJ, Davidson L, Karasz A. An investigation of experiences diagnosed as depression in primary care—From the perspective of the diagnosed. Qualitative Psychology. 2019;6(3):268-279. doi:10.1037/qup0000129
Apr 9, 2021 · 5. Explore, experiment. You can’t figure out your sense of purpose by sitting on the couch and mulling it over. Life is a process of elimination. You need to explore and experiment and try ...
Jun 15, 2024 · Here are some of the most significant signs of emotional numbness that you should look out for: Inability to express strong negative or positive emotions. Inability to “fully participate” in life (i.e., feeling like you’re a passive observer) Feeling that life is like a dream (a sense unreality) Living on autopilot.
- Emotional numbness is a defense mechanism employed by the mind to avoid intense and overwhelming emotions such as fear, hatred, jealousy, and grief...
- As with most issues, emotional numbness goes back to childhood and the way we were raised by our parents. Being abused by our parents physically, e...
- If you even have the slightest inkling that you might be emotionally numb, it’s time to listen up. Emotional numbness is not a small character flaw...
- I call emotional numbness the secret illness because it is so pervasive in our society, and so socially acceptable, that it often flies underneath...
- Emotional detachment is not always a bad thing. It comes in handy when you need to maintain boundaries, avoid undesired energy overload from others...
- Like any psychological defense mechanism, emotional numbing can be complex to deal with, and often requires support from a trained professional suc...
- You Numb Your Feelings. Drinking too much, working excessively, shopping excessively, overeating, gambling, and yes, too much time on the internet, are all ways we can numb our feelings.
- You Envy Others Success.From the outside looking in, everybody seems to have it better than us. More money, a bigger house, better, more exotic, travel, and of course, the envy of everyone else.
- You Constantly Seek Validation. While we all appreciate praise, and certainly there is nothing wrong with receiving it, praise is not permission.When you who seek validation frequently, praise becomes the barometer from which you determine what is right and wrong.
- You Feel Empty. We can all feel alone, isolated, and empty from time to time, but if you find yourself with a chronic feeling of emptiness, again, its a sign that something is not right.
Sep 10, 2020 · It’s normal to want to stop hurting. It’s also common to feel irritable — even resentful — when people with good intentions try to tell you why suicide isn’t the answer. When you’ve ...
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Jan 15, 2024 · A recent study found loneliness in older adults to lead to poor sleep, and metabolic, neural, and hormonal issues. Finally, you might be in crisis, suffering from addiction, abuse, poverty, or chronic illness. These factors cannot be overlooked and inevitably make life feel extraordinarily challenging.
